Although already well covered by both the Marmot and Korea Sojourner, I will once again add my two cents one or two days late.

Reference the Chosun Ilbo article, “Korea’s U.S. Envoy Fights American Misconceptions,” from 14 July:

Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Hong Seok-hyun said Wednesday he will strive to correct five misconceptions he says Americans have about Korea… The five are:▲ anti-American sentiment is rife in Korea; ▲ Koreans no longer want U.S. troops in their country; ▲ Koreans place greater importance on their ethnic unity with North Korea than their alliance with the U.S.; ▲ President Roh Moo-hyun is overly progressive; ▲ Korea is leaning toward China and away from the U.S. Hong attributed such conceptions to an insufficient understanding of changes sweeping Korea and the world at large, and to excessive focus on trivial incidents.

In response;

1.) Anti-American sentiment is rife in Korea. This is not a ‘misconception,’ it is a reality. Since former South Korea President Kim Dae-jung implemented the Sunshine Policy, and the June 2000 Summit between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il, the anti-Americanism simmering under the surface has grown exponentially. Part of the reason is that many South Koreans, primed by their substandard news outlets, thing the U.S. is primarily responsible for continuing problems with North Korea.

2.) Koreans no longer want U.S. troops in their country. The answer to this is ‘it depends.’ See the article in #1. The overwhelming majoring of younger Koreans want the U.S. out, now. But middle-aged and elderly Koreans tend to favor either a staged withdraw as re-unification occurs, or a long-term if the North Korean regime survives. The main factor in this is that older Koreans are dying off every day and as a result the younger, more radical, view is growing stronger daily. This is a trend, but a growing one.

3.) Koreans place greater importance on their ethnic unity with North Korea than their alliance with the U.S. The answer to this is ‘for now.’ Koreans, as a stereotypical but true rule, are group oriented and tend to be on the xenophobic side; South Koreans do see North Koreans as their ‘brothers and sisters.’ And with good reason; the North Korea people, as opposed to the regime, are not willing participants in the North Korea-originating problems on the peninsula. The U.S. military presence is grudgingly tolerated.

4.) President Roh Moo-hyun is overly progressive. Overly progressive? I do not know or care, but he does without a doubt have an anti-U.S. inclination, and likes to use America is something of a scapegoat. See more comments on Roh and some of his comments below, 7 July.

5.) Korea is leaning toward China and away from the U.S. This is a long-term trend that, again, cannot be denied. Trade and cultural ties have increased dramatically in the last few years, and polls reflect the sentiment, including a mutual Chinese-Korean dislike of Japan.

An uphill battle for Ambassador Hong.

More reading; OhMyNews did an interview with Ambassador Hong in February 2005, and a short bio can be found here. This sites Q&A on anti-Americanism in Korea.